Practical Tips for Small Charities to Get them Started with AI

In Directory of Social Changes article, Ian Pembridge explores how many small charities are hesitant or slow to adopt AI despite growing pressures on their capacity and funding. He offers practical tips from DSC’s own experience, such as starting small, forming working groups, and prioritising data protection, to help charities begin using AI confidently and responsibly.

Artificial intelligence (AI) usage is on the rise but according to Neighbourly’s Spring 2025 Community Survey, many small charities have not yet taken the leap. The survey found that 79% of the charities surveyed across the UK and Ireland are either not using AI or have only just started exploring it.

Many charities are experiencing an increased demand for services yet struggling with capacity and funding. The Neighbourly report suggests that AI could help relieve some of this pressure by supporting administration, communications, and fundraising. These are areas in which even small improvements could free up valuable time and resources. However, barriers remain including a lack of technical skills, confusion over how AI works, limited financial resources and concerns about data privacy.

Read the full article by DSC by clicking here.